Fire-escape.



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'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABNER R. BOSTWICK, OF DETROIT, AND CLARENCE L. JOHNSON, OF MARINE CITY,MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed Marchv 22, 1906. Serial No. 307,346.

T0 all ich/011@ t may concern:

Be it known that we, ABNER R. Bosrwrox, residing at Detroit, Waynecounty, and CLAR- ENCE L. JOHNSON, residing at Marine City,

St. Clair county, Michigan, Acitizens of the United States, haveinvented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to Jrire-escapes which may be attached to thecasing of a window or other opening; and the object of our improvementis to provide an escape which may be transported to the place where itis to be used, there placed in operative position in the shortestpossible space of time, and after being used may be removed.

Our invention consists principally in a fastening means which may beattached to any windowcasing, to which means the hoisting mechanism maybe attached.

Our invention also consists in an improved receptacle for the personsthat are to be conveyed to the ground by means of our improved escape.

Our invention consists, further, in the details shown in theaccompanying drawings and described in the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of our improved escape inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a central cross-section of the basket.Fig. 3 is a view of a lever that may be employed to prevent too rapiddescent of the basket. Fig. 4 is a view of the mechanism to attach theend of the hoisting means to the window-casing. Fig. 5 is a view of theshot that is employed to convey the end of the line used to haul up theattaching means to the place where it is to be attached.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

Our improved escape is designed to be carried by some portion of thefire apparatus of the municipality or to be stored adjacent to thebuilding where it is to be used. It will not ordinarily be secured inplace, although this may be done where there is great danger of iire.

When the apparatus has been placed underneath the window where it is tobe used, the persons in the window will lower a line of some kind, tothe lower end of which the persons below will attach the fasteningdevice and the attached tackle, which may then be hauled up and securedin place. The fastening device is composed of the two parts 1 and 5 5 2,pivoted to each other at 3 and each provided with a toothedbearing-plate 4.. A strap or lashing 5 engages in holes in the free endsof the parts 1 and 2, and into the strap the upper end of the tackleengages. This tackle is composed of the double block 6, the single block7, and the line 8.

To the lower block 7 is suspended the basket 9, which is formed of aninner thickness 10, of canvas, an outer shell 12, of thin galvanizedsheet metal, and a central filling 13, of asbestos. The bails 14 to thebasket connect to the straps 15, that extend down to the bottom. A rod16 extends centrally across the top of the basket and carries the lid ordoor 17, which lid is adapted to swing either way with the rod as apivot, but is always returned to horizontal by means of the spring 18 onthe end of the rod.

A rope 19 from the bottom of the basket permits the basket to be guidedwhen ascending or descending.

The lbasket will be hoisted by means of the windlass 20. While beinglowered to prevent the line 8 from running off the windlass too fast theoperator may place the forked end of the lever 21 on the line, so thatthe line will slip through the groove 22. By twisting the lever so as togrip the line a greater or less extent the speed of the line may becontrolled.

To release the fastening device from the window-casing, we provide oneof the parts, such as 2, with a small pulley 22 and the other part witha pulley 23. lA line 24 extends around the pulleys, as shown, and whenpulled upon will cause the jaws of the fastening device to open, andthus release it from the casing, the fastening device then falling tothe ground. In case the persons in the Window! where the escape is to beattached are not provided with means to hoist the fastening device alight line may be carried to them by using the heavy ball 25, which isthrown up through the window, dragging with it the yline 26. In case thedistance is too great 'the ball may be shot up by means of any of thewell-known linethrowing devices.

As the weight of the line 8, the block 6, and the fastening devices 1and 2 is small, there will be no difficulty for one person to haul themup and secure the fastening device in IOO proper position. The greaterthe load on the tackle the further the teethon'the lates g 4 will beforced into the casing. As t e lid will cover the basket when descendingloaded, there is no danger to the occupants of the basket.

Many changes may be made in the details of our construction withoutdeparting from the spirit of our invention.

Having now explained our improvements, what we claim as our invention,and desire' to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fire-escape, comprising a air of levers pivoted to each other, eachaving engaging means at one end, a flexible connection extending acrossbetween the other ends of the levers, a two-block tackle attached tothis flexible connection, a basket carried at the lower end of thetackle, a windlass for raising and lowering the basket by means ofthetackle, and means to release the fastening means from operativeposition.

2. In a hre-escape, the combination of two levers pivoted to each otherintermediate their ends, a toothed plate at one end of each lever, astrap attached to the other ends of both levers, a tackle attached tothe strap, 1

a basket at the lower end of the tackle, pulleys secured to each of thelevers, and a line assing around said ulleys whereby the toothed platesmay be orced out of engaging position. f'

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a fastening device, a tacklesecured thereto, a basket comprising an inner thickness of canvas, anouter shell of sheet metal, and an intermediate thickness of asbestos,bails secured to the basket and said tackle, a rod extending centrallyacross the top of said basket, and a lid carried by said rod and adiptedto swing down on either side of the ro In testimony whereof We havesigned this specification, each in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

ABNER R. BOSTWICK. CLARENCE L. JOHNSON.

Witnesses to Bostwick:

ZAY SIPPERLEY, JOHN H. RUssELL.

Witnesses to Johnson: J. L`. BAIRD, ONIEs SCHARF.

